ong all these rocks, neglected and
unknown.--Adieu.

LETTER XIX

NICE, October 10, 1764.

DEAR SIR,--Before I tell you the price of provisions at Nice, it will
be necessary to say something of the money. The gold coin of Sardinia
consists of the doppia di savoia, value twenty-four livres Piedmontese,
about the size of a loui'dore; and the mezzo doppia, or piece of twelve
livres. In silver, there is the scudo of six livres, the mezzo scudo of
three; and the quarto, or pezza di trenta soldi: but all these are very
scarce. We seldom see any gold and silver coin, but the loui'dore, and
the six, and three-livre Pieces of France; a sure sign that the French
suffer by their contraband commerce with the Nissards. The coin chiefly
used at market is a piece of copper silvered, that passes for seven
sols and a half; another of the same sort, valued two sols and a half.
They have on one side the impression of the king's head; and on the
other, the arms of Savoy, with a ducal crown, inscribed with his name
and titles. There are of genuine copper, pieces of one sol, stamped on
one side with a cross fleuree; and on the reverse, with the king's
cypher and crown, inscribed as the others: finally, there is another
small copper piece, called piccalon, the sixth part of a sol, with a
plain cross, and on the reverse, a slip-knot surmounted with a crown;
the legend as above. The impression and legend on the gold and silver
coins, are the same as those on the pieces of seven sols and a half.
The livre of Piedmont consists of twenty sols, and is very near of the
same value as an English shilling: ten sols, therefore, are equal to
six-pence sterling. Butcher's meat in general sells at Nice for three
sols a pound; and veal is something dearer: but then there are but
twelve ounces in the pound, which being allowed for, sixteen ounces,
come for something less than twopence halfpenny English. Fish commonly
sells for four sols the twelve ounces, or five for the English pound;
and these five are equivalent to three-pence of our money: but
sometimes we are obliged to pay five, and even six sols for the
Piedmontese pound of fish. A turkey that would sell for five or six
shillings at the London market, costs me but three at Nice. I can buy a
good capon for thirty sols, or eighteen-pence; and the same price I pay
for a brace of partridges, or a good hare. I can have a woodcock for
twenty-four sols; but the pigeons are dearer than in London. Rabbit